Legal Updates

Wrongful trading rules, which can result in directors being personally liable for losses incurred as a result of continued trading, are being temporarily suspended in recognition of the large number of businesses being impacted by COVID-19. While this news will be welcomed by businesses across the UK, directors should not be complacent about their responsibilities.
On 28 March, Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, announced changes to UK insolvency law:
The changes include enabling companies to continue buying supplies, such as energy, raw materials or broadband, while attempting a...

Three weeks ago, we published a blog on key issues for education providers in response to the spread of COVID-19. It goes without saying that the situation has changed significantly since then, both in terms of the seriousness of the spread of COVID-19, and the legal and practical responses required to contain that spread.
On 25 March 2020, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (the "Act") received Royal Assent. The Act makes substantial but temporary changes to the law in a wide range of sectors, including education, to enable the UK Government to respond to COVID-19 as an emergency situation...

The COVID-19 outbreak is causing significant disruption to construction projects across the UK. We are speaking to clients on a daily basis about additional contractual mechanisms that can be put in place to ensure momentum continues on projects - on and off site - and to improve cash flow through the supply chain.
The following are key documents that can assist parties in keeping their projects on track in the coming months:
Letters of intent and pre-construction services agreements
For those employers whose projects are not yet at the construction on site...

The UK Government's emergency coronavirus legislation has now become law, as the Coronavirus Act 2020 ("the Act").
This comes after the Scottish Parliament passed a legislative consent motion, agreeing to Westminster enacting those provisions of the Act that concerned devolved matters. The Scottish Government is expected to introduce its own coronavirus legislation in the Scottish Parliament in the near future, which will deal with other issues not picked up in the Act.
We produced an overview of the Act's key provisions when the legislation was introduced to Parliament. It is wide-...

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